Shida Kartli. A collection of works - "Open the Door" - published at the initiative and with support of the "Open Society - Georgia" Foundation was presented on January 29 in the Defense Academy in Gori. Writers LashaBughadze and DatoTurashvili have read out extracts from the collection.The collection was published as part of the project "Writers for Human Rights", which aims to popularize patients' rights and bring their problems to public through literature texts. Source: osgf.ge 

Tbilisi. CSO "Young Barristers" has presented the monitoring results of implementation of the amended Labor Code in Georgian companies. The organization has monitored Georgian companies in order to "make public the status of rights of employers and the employed, identify the problems, and submit and lobby the existing gaps at the legislative level in view of made amendments." for the full text (geo) Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Reporters Without Borders organization calls upon the government of Ukraine to respect the media staff and ensure the safety of their working environment. According to the letter published by the organization, at least 37 representatives of the media are reported injured by plastic bullets, firecrackers and other non-lethal weapons.  The statement of the organization reads that the Ukrainian government must ensure safe environment for journalists and not escalate confrontation with the rally participants, in an effort to protect democratic principles. For the full text Source:media.ge

Tbilisi. CSO "Identoba" has organized on January 20 the conference - "Minority Issues in Georgia". First part of the conference was dedicated to presentation of studies carried out by "Identoba" in 2013-2014. The studies mainly focused on various forms and tools of discrimination against LGBT persons in Georgia. Second part of the conference was devoted to discussions over the status of rights of minority groups and relevant recommendations. In the name of organizations working on various minority issues in Georgia, the speakers have discussed issues of discrimination of various groups of society in the country last year. Final stage of the event was dedicated to announcing the winners of a poll conducted by CSO "Identoba" at the end of last year. Preliminary results of the study - "Social Status of Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Males". The study: Dilemmas and Compromises; Professional Development of LGBT Persons. For the full text. Source: identoba.com

Tbilisi. CSO "Identoba" has issued for the first time this year the annual award for human dignity and rights activists. Winners were identified in four categories.Giorgi Kikonishvili has won the prize for human rights activist journalist of 2013, while the representative of CSO GDI Giorgi Mshvenieradze - among the civil society representatives. Lawyer Tamar Gurchiani has won the prize under the civil activist category, while among the state officials the prize was awarded to the member of parliamentary majority, MP Tamar Kordzaia. Source: ginsc.net

OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Observer Mission has released the report of the observation mission on the presidential election held in Georgia in 2013.The report was released on 14 January 2014. The report (in English) Source: osce.org

Tbilisi. CSO "Identoba” has released the film – "Persecuting a Person Because of Orientation is Unacceptable”. The film tells about parallel situations, one and the same persons and different treatments because of orientation. The film was produced with assistance from the Canadian Local Initiatives Fund. The film Source: identoba.com

Adjara. Youth CSO "Changes for Equal Rights" has met on January 16 with the local persons with disabilities, their parents and students in the Batumi Civic Engagement Center.The meeting aimed at interpreting the terms incorrectly applied in respect of persons with disabilities and providing the materials on correct terms. Further, to activate persons with disabilities, the head of the organization has shared his experience with the attendees and called on them to become more active. Through the model games played as part of the meeting, persons with disabilities and their parents have discussed factors preventing the integration of persons with disabilities into the society and started developing the future plans for problem solutions.

Tbilisi. The National Center for Democratic Development has released a statement in the social network concerning the statement of the State Minister of Georgia for Conciliation and Civil Equality. "On January 14 PaataZakareishvili has mentioned the citizens of Georgia deported by the Soviet regime, who are subject to repatriation, as "Muslim Meskhetians". Besides infringing upon universally recognized human rights, this term segregates public groups by religious signs, discriminates against them and encroaches on the honor and dignity of a person or group of persons ... We call on Mr. Zakareishvili to timely explain the content of his statement and apologize publicly in order not to damage the reputation of the state," says the statement. For the full text Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Tbilisi. In recent months, Transparency International Georgia highlighted "how unsolicited spam SMS with advertising violate people’s right to privacy and how companies take advantage of the fact that right now they cannot be easily held accountable for violating the law". For the full text Source:transparency.ge

Tbilisi. Nino Guruli's blog post "Right to access for persons with disabilities" was published on the web page of the Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center.The author shares with readers a long-term practice of the European countries on the measures ensuring the participation of persons with disabilities in social life and the equality principle. Blog post: Right to access for persons with disabilities. Source: emc.org.ge

Tbilisi. A two-year project of the Georgian Young Lawyers' Association and the Anti-Violence Network was presented on December 26. "Raising the awareness of civil society on protection of women's rights" aimed to share international practice for effectively protecting the victims of domestic violence. The project was implemented in partnership with the Czech CSO "ADRA" and financial support of the Czech Foreign Affairs Ministry. Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Tbilisi. On December 20, 2013 Tbilisi City Court satisfied Giorgi Baratashvili’s law suit against the Public Broadcaster of Georgia claiming restoration to the position of the general director of the public broadcaster and compensation for the missed salary. GYLA’s Media Legal Defense Center represented Giorgi Baratashvili’s interests in the court. "Bearing in mind that Giorgi Baratashvili’s return to his position is not linked to issuing any additional act by the management of the public broadcaster, immediately, after submitting the writ of execution to Giorgi Baratashvili, he should start fulfillment of his duties ...By its decision the court confirmed that in both cases, Giorgi Baratashvili’s dismissal from the position of the General Director was illegal. We remain hopeful that the Board will refrain from making illegal and unsubstantiated decisions in terms of the activities of the General Director". For the full text Source:gyla.ge

Tbilisi. The Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center has released Nino Guruli's blog post "Right of persons with disabilities to independent life". The blog post discusses the measures taken by various countries aimed at effective realization of the right of persons with disabilities to independent life. For the full text (geo) Source: emc.org.ge

Tbilisi. A finalized version of the draft Law "on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination" was presented on December17. Representatives of ethnic and religious minorities and CSOs working on the issues of women, persons with disabilities and ethnic and religious minority representatives have attended the presentation. The draft Law is developed by the Ministry of Justice. For the full text.(geo) Source:ginsc.net

Tbilisi. A workshop was held on December 13 aimed at reviewing current situation in Georgia with respect to employment of persons with disabilities. The strategy on the employment of persons with disabilities is being developed as part of the project "Persons with Disabilities - Inseparable and Respectful Group of the Society".The project is supported by the Czech Government and is implemented by the Czech Caritas in partnership with Caritas Georgia. Source: page of "Coalition for Independent Life" in the social network.

Mtskheta-Mtianeti. On December 14-15, in Gudauri, UNICEF Georgia organized a meeting with journalists about violence against children. Representatives of UNICEF Georgia presented results of the research ''Violence Against Children in Georgia''. Source:the organization's page in the social network 

Disability Rights International published a research - "Left Behind - The Exclusion of Children and Adults with Disabilities fromReform and Rights Protection in the Republic of Georgia". This report documents policies and practices of the Republic of Georgia to examine the protection of rights of the country’s most vulnerable population: children with disabilities who are detained in institutions. The Research  Source: Coalition for Independent living's page in the social network 

Adjara. The Elderly Women's Association has produced a social advertising as part of a 16-day campaign against gender violence. The advertising:   Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Samtskhe-Javakheti. The International Human Rights Day was celebrated in the region. The UN-authored Human Rights Declaration was discussed on December 10 in the Akhaltsikhe Civic Engagement Center. The meeting was organized with support of the "Conflicts and Negotiations Research Center". Schoolchildren from various Samtskhe-Javakheti public schools have participated. Youngsters have examined and discussed each articles of the Human Rights Declaration.

Tbilisi. On December 10, 2013, Public Defender presented a report on Human Rights and Freedoms in Georgia. The given report represents the initiative of the Public Defender of Georgia to summarize human rights and freedoms situation in the country annually, by December 10. "The year of 2013 was distinguished by being less dramatic in comparison to the previous year. Despite the fact that there have been significant steps taken in regards to human rights protection, a large number of challenges and problems still remain in terms of realization of in civil and political, as well as social and economic rights".  The Report Source:ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. Georgian Young Lawyer's Association Voices its Position on Dismissal of Employees from the Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia. "Some senior officials dismissed from the Prosecutor’s Office after appointing the new Prosecutor General applied to GYLA. As they reported, they were asked to write applications on resignation. The demand was mainly voiced by Giorgi Gabitashvili, the new deputy prosecutor general. He summoned prosecutors to his room and asked them to write letters of resignation. However, as the applicants allege, none of them were explained the reason". Organization appeals to the Minister of Justice and the Prime Minister, as to the officials responsible on selection and appointment of the Prosecutor General, to express interest in the developments that take place in the General Prosecutor’s Office. For the full text Source:gyla.ge